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April 16, 2025 By Roopa Tandur 1 Comment

6 Tips and Tricks to Help You Stay Motivated

Motivation is a tricky thing. One moment it’s with you, and the next, it vanishes. The enthusiasm you began with slowly fades, and before you know it, your drive to work towards your goal has dwindled. We’ve all been there.

Whether it’s your health, work, or personal goals—staying motivated isn’t just about initial excitement. It’s about creating the conditions for consistency and success. Motivation—be it driven by a desire for better health, more energy, or a sense of achievement—needs a bit more than just enthusiasm.

Factors Which Help One Stay Motivated

While discipline is a key factor, there are many other tips and tricks that can help you stay on track with your goals. Let’s look at them in detail.

1. Set Defined and Realistic Goals
Setting goals that are too ambitious or misaligned with your lifestyle can set you up for failure. Instead, focus on goals that are meaningful to you—not ones based on someone else’s expectations.

Start small and achievable. For example:

“I’ll walk for 30 minutes, three days a week”
“I’ll begin with 5,000 steps a day”

Jumping to 10,000 steps a day may be overwhelming, while aiming for 1,000 won’t offer much benefit. Keep it challenging, but doable.

2. Break Goals into Smaller Tasks
The mind is often the first barrier. You might find yourself saying, “I just don’t have time.” But big goals are simply small tasks stacked together.

If 30 minutes of exercise seems like too much, break it down:

Three 10-minute movement sessions spread through the day
A mix of morning walking and stair exercises at work

Little changes go a long way.

3. Make It Fun and Avoid Distractions
Switch up your walking routes. Try new exercises. Add variety to keep things engaging.

And most importantly—avoid comparison. What works for someone else might not work for your body. Stick to the plan tailored for you—especially if you’re working with a health coach.

Involve family, especially kids. Their energy is contagious! You could also go live on social media—it adds positive pressure and builds accountability.

4. Reward Yourself
Celebrate your wins—big or small. Rewards don’t need to be extravagant. A kind message to yourself, a new skipping rope, or even a quiet moment of reflection can be powerful motivators.

Plan these rewards ahead of time—they’ll give you something to look forward to, and they’ll make the journey more enjoyable.

5. Visualise Your Success
Take a moment to picture where you want to be in six months. What does your healthier, stronger self look like?

Set that image as your phone wallpaper
Stick up a photo of your past self when you felt your best
Surround yourself with quotes, music, or visuals that uplift and remind you why you started

Mental imagery is a powerful tool.

6. Know Your Shortcomings—and Challenge Them
Identify your personal roadblocks. Is it snacking? Weekends? Lack of planning?

Then, plan around them:

Keep healthy snacks at home
Prep your meals in advance to avoid ordering out
Choose social settings with healthy options
Embrace the sweet pain of new workouts—your body is getting stronger!

New routines take time, and muscle soreness is normal. The trick is to keep going, not give up.

Motivation is easier to build when you mix in a bit of fun and laughter. Whether you’re working out alone or with company, the key is to enjoy the process. Consistency is important, but without joy, the journey can feel like a chore.

So smile more, celebrate your effort—not just the results—and take pride in every step forward.

Even the smallest progress is still progress. Keep showing up. Keep moving. Keep going.

#BeTheForce

Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for general awareness and educational purposes only. It is not intended to replace professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for personalised medical guidance or concerns related to your health.

April 2, 2025 By GOQii 3 Comments

How Can Walking Help You Overcome Stress?

Stress is inevitable given the fast-paced life all of us lead. It is something that can take over us completely if we do not make an effort to overcome it at the right time. There are many ways you can minimize and cope with stress and walking is a great way to overcome stress!

Most believe that walking only helps one lose weight or get into shape. But, it’s way more than that. It also helps you overcome stress. Exercise in almost any form can act as a stress reliever. Being active can boost your feel-good endorphins and distract you from daily worries. Walking is one way to lower your stress levels.

Any kind of Aerobics exercise (more than 2 minutes of walking is Aerobic exercise) has the power to swing an individual’s mood. If it is done every day, it can enhance self-esteem as well.

How Can Walking Help You Overcome Stress?

Pumps up your endorphins: Walking increases your overall health and your sense of well-being and preps you up to take more steps every day. Walking also has some direct stress-busting benefits. Whenever you do any kind of aerobic activity you release endorphins (feel-good hormones). The higher your level of endorphins, the greater your sense of calm and well-being. No wonder that walking can make you feel so good!

Meditation in motion: After a fast-paced game of racquetball or several laps in the pool, you will often find that you have forgotten the day’s irritations and concentrate only on your body’s movements. As you begin to regularly shed your daily tensions through movement and physical activity, you may find that this focus on a single task, and the resulting energy and optimism, can help you remain calm and clear in everything you do.

Improves your mood: Regular Walking can increase self-confidence, it can help you relax and it can lower the symptoms associated with mild depression, stress and anxiety. Walking can also improve your sleep, which is often disrupted by stress, depression and anxiety. All of these walking benefits can ease your stress levels and give you a sense of command over your body and your life.

So whenever you feel you are stressed, go for a walk and come back feeling good and stress-free!

We hope this article helps you! Do leave your thoughts in the comments below.

#BeTheForce

March 28, 2025 By Rajashree Hota 6 Comments

9 Tips For Self-Motivation

As part of my regular conversation, I asked one of my players about exercise.

“I don’t feel like it!” He replied swiftly.

Seeing his lack of motivation, I nudged him a little gently to give it a try. He sulkily replied with an “Okay!”

The same episode unfolded the next day with him being unenthusiastic about exercising. It didn’t matter how hard I tried to motivate him day after day. After a while, I realised that the player completely lacked intrinsic or self-motivation i.e the motivation that comes from within.

Self-Motivation emanates from one’s own sheer willingness to achieve a goal that has been set for oneself. Many times, we promise ourselves that from next week or next month we will start exercising, leave sugar or work towards a healthier lifestyle, but how many times do we sincerely stick to these goals? Of course, the desire to change our lifestyle for our own good has to be self-motivated, but seldom are we able to maintain the interest levels to achieve a goal.

Self-Motivation is quite important when it comes to being fit. We start well by following a routine of waking up early and going for walk, a run or to the gym. The first few days of the week go by as per routine but suddenly there is a radical dip in the levels of our motivation. In most cases, the loss of motivation occurs when we step on a weighing scale and see no change. Another reason could be negative, self-criticising thought patterns where we compare ourselves to skinny models or chiselled athletes, thinking we’ll never be like them, instantly hammering our motivation into a million pieces.

If you’ve been seeking self-motivation and aren’t able to find it, here are 9 surefire ways to stay motivated!

1. Do It Only If You Want To
If you are exercising for the sake of it, let’s embrace the truth, it won’t work. Motivation levels will drop easily when you do something you don’t want to. To keep going and feel motivated from within, you need to enjoy your workout. To stay fit, experiment and find out what activity you like the most.

2. Stop Criticising Yourself
If you start comparing yourself with someone you think is perfect, then your motivation will bite the dust. Realise that the person next to you who is in perfectly good shape took the time and effort to look like that. Instead of dwelling in self-degrading thoughts and criticising yourself, put in a fair effort.

3. Picture Yourself a Few Years From Now
Picture a healthier you, a slimmer or better-looking you. How would you like to see yourself a year from today? This thought itself can motivate you from within.

4. Get Over Your Laziness
“Not now”, “Maybe tomorrow”, “I will start from Monday”, “Maybe next month”… Do you recognise these statements? They are evident signs of procrastination and laziness. Very soon, the “not now” becomes “never” and we hardly try to achieve any pending health goals we may have. What should we do? Get over it and start moving! Try playing some energetic music around you, change your lazy-looking, comfort-filled environment and get yourself going.

5. Focus on the Goal
This is the most important thing you need to do. Focus on your goals, whether it is to achieve balance in your lifestyle, eat healthy or lose your weight, start focusing on your goal. More than often, we divert from our original goals and start overthinking. For instance, if your goal is to lose weight, stop thinking about the clothes that you are not fitting in right now, or what will happen if you do and do not lose weight. Just tame your mind and focus on your ultimate goal!

6. Set Small Targets and Give Yourself a Reward
Reward plays a very important role in self-motivation. Start with small goals, or what we like to call S.M.A.R.T (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely) goals and reward yourself every time you achieve one of them. For example, if your ultimate goal is to lose 25kg, have a “S.M.A.R.T” goal to lose 4 to 5 kg per month and when you manage to achieve it successfully, reward yourself with something you like. Be it new clothes or even a new mobile phone.

7. Set Penalties
If Rewards work then penalties work as well. By penalties, I don’t actually mean punishing yourself to the extent of starvation when you eat junk food or excessively working out every time you skip exercise. Instead, do it in a positive way. Like every time you miss exercise or eat something unhealthy, put a certain amount of money in a penalty box, which will ultimately go to your friend/ spouse/ kids or colleagues. That will motivate you enough to not skip exercise the next time.

8. Pen It Down
If you write your goals and dreams on a regular basis, you are 42% more likely to achieve those goals, says a study conducted by Dr. Gail Matthews – a psychology professor at the Dominican University of California. Try maintaining a journal and write your goals as well as achievements down on a daily basis.

9. Do It For the Selfies!
It may sound funny but if you like to take pictures and post them on social media, you might actually likes this idea. Going for a workout? Take a selfie! Bought yourself new gym clothes? Take a selfie! Lost two inches? Take a selfie! Apart from the shares and likes, you will also be able to map your progress through pictures. So give it a try. It definitely worked for me!

In closing, remember that being self-motivated takes a lot of willpower. You need to feel good about yourself as well as better yourself on a daily basis. No amount of external motivation is enough if you don’t have the inclination to accomplish your own goals.

We hope these motivational tips will ignite the self-motivated fire within you. If you found these strategies valuable and have your own motivational techniques to share, please do so in the comments section below.

Remember, your path to self-motivation and a healthier you starts with the first step.

#BeTheForce

March 22, 2025 By Trupti Hingad 3 Comments

7 Tips To Help You Drink Water The Right Way

World Water Day 2025 is a timely reminder of the value water holds in our lives—not just globally, but personally. While this year’s theme focuses on glacier preservation, we often overlook a key question: Are we drinking water in the best possible way for our health?

We all know hydration is important. But how you drink water matters just as much as how much you drink. Water is a vital life force—it fuels digestion, flushes out toxins, supports metabolism, and keeps every cell functioning. Yet, many of us are unaware that drinking water incorrectly can impact our health.

How To Drink Water The Right Way

Let’s explore 7 essential tips to help you hydrate better, smarter, and more mindfully every day.

Sit Down to Drink Water
When you stand and drink water you upset the balance of fluids in the body and this may lead to more accumulation of fluids in the joints. When you sit and drink, your muscles and nervous system is relaxed and you absorb it nicely. Also, kidney pace of filtration is good when you sit and drink water
Sip, Don’t Gulp Large Quantities
Avoid drinking large amounts of water in one go. Gulping too much too quickly can block air intake into your lungs and put undue pressure on your heart and lungs. Instead, sip water slowly throughout the day—this helps your body absorb and utilise it more effectively.
Avoid Ice-Cold Water
Cold or chilled water may feel refreshing, but it disrupts digestion by cooling the internal fire needed to digest food properly. Cold water also reduces blood flow to various organs and can lead to issues like constipation. Try to drink room temperature or warm water instead—it aids digestion, supports metabolism, and even helps control cholesterol levels.
Listen to Your Body’s Thirst Cues
Your body is smart—it tells you when it’s low on water. Dark yellow urine, dry lips, dry tongue, and persistent fatigue are signs of dehydration. Clear or pale urine means you’re well-hydrated. Pay attention to these signs and hydrate accordingly.
Start Your Day with Water
Drinking a glass of water first thing in the morning helps flush out toxins and cleanses your digestive system. It supports smoother bowel movements and kickstarts your metabolism—setting a healthy tone for the rest of the day.
Store Water the Right Way
Traditionally, water stored in copper or silver vessels is believed to balance the body’s energies by positively charging the water. Copper is known for its antioxidant and antibacterial properties, while silver is believed to have a cooling effect on the digestive system.While copper and silver vessels might not be common everywhere, you can opt for glass or stainless steel bottles as safe and eco-friendly alternatives to plastic. These options are free from harmful chemicals like BPA and help maintain the water’s purity.
Drinking Water Isn’t Just to Quench Thirst
Water is essential for replenishing lost minerals and salts, especially after sweating or physical activity. It hydrates muscles and joints, supports digestion, maintains fluid balance, and prevents acidity. Make water a daily habit of recovery and rejuvenation, not just a thirst response.

Drinking water the right way is about more than just hitting your daily quota. By being mindful of how and when you drink water—and how you store it—you can improve digestion, boost energy, and support overall well-being.

Let this World Water Day inspire a renewed appreciation for water—not only as a global resource but as a vital part of our personal health.

💧 How do you ensure you stay hydrated daily? Share your tips in the comments below!

#BeTheForce